14837: (Chamberlain) Bush's AIDS plans to include abortion restrictions (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's $15 billion
AIDS plan for Africa and Haiti would restrict the flow of money to groups
that perform or promote abortions overseas, U.S. officials said on Friday.
     But organizations that perform or promote abortions in one clinic
could set up separate AIDS programs in another location that would be
eligible for U.S. funding so long as none of the money was diverted.
     Bush surprised AIDS groups during his Jan. 28 State of the Union
address when he proposed the plan, which amounts to a tripling of U.S.
spending on AIDS overseas. Officials said it would include condoms and
generic drugs as well as faith-based efforts and abstinence education.
     Administration officials said funding would not be provided to
programs that either promote or perform abortions.
     That would be in keeping with the so-called "Mexico City Policy"
announced by then President Ronald Reagan at a Mexico City conference in
1984 and rescinded by Bill Clinton when he became president in 1993.
     Under U.S. law, no tax dollars have directly paid for abortions since
1973. The Mexico City rule, which was reinstated by Bush, prohibits giving
U.S. funds to groups that spend their own money for abortions or
counseling.
     Critics of the ban call it a "global gag rule" that imposes
free-speech restrictions on family planning groups and could lead to even
riskier abortions worldwide by denying crucial health counseling.
     Administration officials defended the rule and said Bush's AIDS
program would provide newfound flexibility.
     "As long as none of the money is diverted to family planning
activities, they will be able to receive the funding because the president
views the AIDS initiative as a health care program that can help people who
are suffering," said an administration official.
     The White House says the five-year plan would prevent 7 million new
AIDS infections and treat at least 2 million people with drugs that can
keep an HIV patient alive and healthy.
     The program includes the distribution of condoms and instruction on
their use, general education and counseling including abstinence education.
     Each country will work individually with the United States to develop
the program, which will start out small, with $2 billion in 2004, and scale
up.